Quasi non-critical phase matched and contra-phase matched structures

Abstract

Adhesive-free bond non-linear optical (NLO) components, devices and systems including one or more engineered quasi non-critical phase matched or contra-phase matched NLO crystal doublets. Such systems and devices advantageously increase the efficiency of NLO frequency conversion and improve beam quality. Devices are applicable to any uniaxial and biaxial NLO crystals in a wide range of wavelengths, e.g., from far ultraviolet to visible to far infrared. Devices employing engineered AFB NLO components according to certain embodiments include any conventional frequency converting architectures. Systems and methods are also provided to unambiguously determine and correct walk-off for any arbitrary uniaxial and biaxial crystal orientation.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 359,145, filed Jan. 23, 2009 now abandoned, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 891,016, filed Aug. 7, 2007 now abandoned. This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61 / 181,599, filed May 27, 2009, entitled “QUASI-NON-CRITICAL PHASE MATCHED STRUCTURES” which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]Not ApplicableBACKGROUND[0003]The present invention relates in general to nonlinear optical components and devices, and to lasers and more particularly to laser equipment in which the fundamental wavelength of an input laser energy of a solid state or gas or vapor laser is converted to different output wavelengths using nonlinear optical crystal components.[0004]Laser systems ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a way to design adhesive-free bond NLO crystal components that transfer critical phase matches for all useful wavelengths. These components offer all the benefits of non-critical phase matched frequency conversion, such as compensated spatial walk-off, enlarged angular acceptance, and temperature tuning for phase matching wavelengths. The invention also includes methods for optimizing the length of each crystal pair for a given beam diameter and walk-off angle, as well as experimentally confirming the crystal orientation. The resulting composites have high conversion efficiency and can be used as spectrometers or laser devices. The invention also provides a way to output different distinctive wavelengths by combining WOC NLO crystals of different cuts corresponding to different phase matching angles. The invention can be applied to any uniaxial or biaxial NLO crystals and can be used as add-ons to existing laser systems or new laser devices."

Problems solved by technology

Output at the fundamental wavelength of a solid state laser oscillator is restricted by the availability of crystal and glass lasing media that are doped with available dopant ions.

Large walk-off angle can also affect the output beam quality.

However, limited by nature, most of the NLO frequency conversions need to be critical phase matched, only at particular wavelengths non-critical phase matching might happen in some of the NLO crystals.

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